Plug, Ballard to collaborate on $3.5M defense department project

Plug Power Inc. and a Canadian fuel-cell developer have been awarded $3.5 million from the U.S. Department of Defense.

Plug (Nasdaq: PLUG) and Ballard Power Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: BLDP), which have worked together since 2006 on backup power applications for the U.S. Department of Defense and other agencies, will continue to collaborate on a modular fuel-cell system for use as backup power in telecommunications and other applications, according to the companies.

A prototype of the system is expected to be deployed in 2008.

Plug Power, which has its headquarters in Latham, develops fuel-cell systems for backup and other applications.